Festival winds down much like its namesake

Rolling down the Neches ... After a whirlwind of activities over two weeks, the 63rd annual Neches River Festival came to a wonderful close Sunday at the farewell brunch held in the lovely home of Crissy and Todd Clarke. Our future Beaumont leaders started the second weekend of the NRF with a get acquainted party co-chaired by Nicole Saba and DynasyPhelan at the Jefferson Theater. Dressing ’80s style, many of the creative seniors brought their own flair to the retro fashion. Chaperoning the fab event were Jean Moncla, Anne Figueiras, Melissa Baldo and Linda de la Fuente, to name a few. Having a blast from the past were Lynda Freeze, Evan deLord, Terran Harken, Lucas Mackan, Mary L. Masters, Cynthia Collazo, Donald Faulk, Jordan Dixon, Colby Gober, Carter Clark, Alexus Wilson and the rest of the princesses and their escorts. After rehearing Saturday morning for the evening’s presentation, the young social set enjoyed the Queen’s Luncheon hosted by Catherine Draths and her family. That evening, family and friends filled the Julie Rogers Theatre in anticipation of who would become members of the NRF LXIII royalty court as the princesses and escorts prepared for coronation. Festival President Roy Steinhagen and Social Chairs Tracy Bean and Melanie Heartfield welcomed the audience and introduced the pages and trumpeters Zachary Gilliam, William Hays, James Casey Broussard and Patrick McDade Phelan, as well the Queen’s attendants Hannah Jenkins, Cameron Phelan, Olivia Daleo, Bridget Phelan, Kelly Moncla, Savannah Zizmont, Emily Steinhagen, Cadien Myrick, Madeline Kiker, Julia Phelan and Isabel Meadow. Mistress of Ceremonies Jennifer Swantner acknowledged King Neches LXIII Thad Heartfield and NRF Chairman Doug McMakin and then presented the duchesses and princesses and their escorts. Around 70 senior girls and 75 senior/junior boys served participated in this year’s NRF festivities. As parents, grandparents, siblings and friends beamed with pride, Laura Broussard was crowned Queen Neches LXIII with Lucy Prewitt, Claire Dykeman and Layla Nejad serving as ladies-in-waiting. Mallory Cross and Kailey Fazio tied for Miss Congeniality, and voted best escort by his peers was Hunter Jones. The court and their guests moved to the Beaumont Civic Center where the NRF gala with food, beverages and great music awaited them. Seen in the crush were Peyton and Ross Jones, Elizabeth Phelan, Debra and Tom Harken, Mary Jane and Bill Benning, Katy and Mark Jefferson, Lauren and Jennie Dees, Carolyn and Paul Miller, proud parents Chris and Martin Broussard (parents of the queen), Josh Gable, Gerri Christopher, Bernie Daleo, Gay and Bill Scott, and too many more to mention. Another year that the youth and future leaders of our town make us proud to call Beaumont home!

All that jazz … The sixth annual Beaumont Jazz + Blues Fest will be Saturday, May 7, from 3 to 9 p.m. in downtown Beaumont on Fannin Street between Main and Orleans. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the gates. Performing will be Beaumont’s own Barbara Lynn and Jimmy Simmons with Sylvia Thompson, Kyle Turner, Dean James the Lisa Marshall Band, Little Brian, Jawaad and Robert White. The second annual Jazz + Blues Fest Art Competition will be sponsored by the Beaumont Art League. Artists interested in submitting an entry should contact the League at (409) 833-4179. The winner will receive a Fender electric guitar!

News of I do’s … In front of almost 500 hundred family and friends, Sheridan Lynn Smith became the bride of Robert Lyle Plumb at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Houston. Proud parents Lynn and Michael Smith and Susan Cooley King were thrilled with the marriage merger. Friends of the bride and groom who made the trek to H-town and the enchanted reception at the Bayou Club (where the precious couple met a little over three years ago) were bridesmaids Buffin Golias, Katie Perkins, Graceann Miller Falkenhagen, Hannah Persia, Jeff Beaver Jr., Kyle Falkenhagen, Kristin Peyton, Ellen Perkins, Robert Dees, Cassie LaMendola, Charles Burrus, Kristen Denbow, Haylee Faggard, Nat Lombardo, Kristen Albert, Emily and Amy Hallemann, Cissy and Emily Shuffield, Tyrrell Burrus and Annaliese Gerhardt as well as the bride’s two terrific brothers, Jordan and StephenSmith. Congratulations!